I took a long weekend break in Somerset to visit my parents – perhaps my last such trip with them planning to move north in the autumn! I had an excellent, quiet drive down on the Thursday evening to arrive a little before 10pm and we spent an hour or so chatting before bed. On Friday, Mum and Dad had a couple of appointments and errands to run, while I spent the day working from ‘home’, with a sociable lunch break.

Saturday started, for Dad and me, with Minehead parkrun – a warm and muggy morning and I was disappointed that I could only maintain my target pace of around 3:52/km for the first two km, finally struggling over the line in 20:01, almost thirty seconds slower than the previous week’s run on a hillier course at Cannock Chase. We walked home for second breakfast / morning coffee, and decided on a stroll on Selworthy Beacon for a walk and picnic lunch.

We parked near Selworthy village and followed lanes and bridleways towards East Lynch then up onto the hilltop, enjoying views of Dunkery Beacon and Minehead. We passed the trig point then dropped down a little onto the rugged coast path at East Combe, where we paused for lunch with views over the Bristol Channel to the Brecon Beacons.

Afterwards our route continued above Hurlstone Point, then contoured around Bossington Hill (with great views over Porlock Bay) and through the woods back to Selworthy.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1966068

On Sunday, we had a more leisurely start before heading to the Quantocks for a walk from Holford. The route started up the attractive wooded valley of Hodder’s Combe, then taking the right hand fork up Sheppard’s Combe – more open with heathery slopes – to Bicknoller Post. We continued a short way south along the ridge and paused for lunch near the top of Long Combe, with views towards the Brendon Hills.

As we set off again, a group of wild horses that we’d passed galloped past us and along the ridge as far as we could see – an impressive sight and sound! Our walk continued along the ridge as far as Wilmot’s Pool – almost dry after the warm weather – then dropped down into Lady’s Combe to follow Holford Combe back to the village.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1966074

After roast lamb for dinner and a bit of television, I got an early night before a dawn drive back to Derby and work on Monday morning. It was good to spend a few days with my parents and catch up with their plans.
More photos can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fM1hc8NPCXgEajhu6

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, I hadn’t been down to Minehead to visit my parents since Christmas 2019! So the first weekend after the ‘Step 3′ easing of restrictions came into force allowing visits to others’ homes, I took the Friday off work and made a three-day trip. Bec decided to come with me to meet my parents and enjoy a few days at the seaside.

We set off early, around 7am, on Friday morning for the three-and-a-half-hour drive down, and made good time in light traffic and light rain, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we took advantage of a gap between showers to walk down to Minehead seafront, along to the harbour, and back over the hill by the church.

Saturday brought the best weather of the weekend, so we headed west to Lynmouth for a full day’s walking. Our route was a favourite one that I’ve done once before, with a good mixture of deep valleys, woodland and coast. We started off up the East Lyn valley, and found the river very much in spate thanks to the previous day’s rainfall – an impressive sight!

At Watersmeet, we ascended out of the valley and turned back west along the rim of Myrtleberry Cleave to Lynbridge. After a short section through the edge of Lynton, we followed the high-level path above Lee Abbey, giving great views over the Valley of Rocks and across the Bristol Channel to Wales. The final section was back along the coast path to Lynton, before zigzagging down over the cliff railway to Lynmouth.
A map of our route from Lymouth may be seen here: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1562456

Apart from a couple of hours first thing, Sunday was wet. Bec and Dad went for a run onto North Hill, while Mum and I walked a similar route (as I didn’t want to exacerbate my recent ankle injury). We enjoyed a game of Scrabble in the afternoon, nut roast for dinner, and then made the long drive back to Derby, the rain not stopping at any point!

It was great to catch up with my parents face-to-face for the first time in 9 months, and to do so in Minehead for the first time in 17 months. Fingers crossed that the Coronavirus situation continues to improve so that such trips remain possible from now on.

My full photo album is available on Google Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vdGfrc6aTogGkWQh6

As usual, I spent Christmas with my parents in Minehead, and we did a few short local walks.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zhEVYGU9mneSimdt8

I visited my parents for a long weekend in Minehead. The weather was rather grey, but we did short-ish walks on Exmoor every day nevertheless.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4ELxDgyqZ9dC2vsb8

I spent a long weekend visiting my parents in Minehead. Our local walks took us to The Chains on Exmoor, around Dunster, and onto the northern Quantocks.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3vJa961v8FyQ6tUq5

I spent a few days in Minehead to visit my parents and help them move into their new house. Once most of the boxes had been moved, we found time for a couple of local walks.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gGhYUpzf85hzoiRy7